Serial number on iPod leads to arrest of Germantown man

Germantown pawnshop aids in theft case

A Germantown man was arrested last month after police linked the serial number from an iPod he sold to a pawnshop to an open burglary case.

County police arrested Anton Anderson at his Germantown residence Feb. 18. Police, who also had a search warrant, found stolen items inside his bedroom, said county police spokesman Cpl. Dan Friz. Anderson, 25, is being held at the Montgomery County Detention Center in Rockville on $5,000 bail, Friz said.

"We got a hit off of the iPod from Famous Pawn shop in Germantown," Friz said. The owner of the iPod "recorded the serial number and that's how we were able to track [Anderson]. When the people at the pawnshop went through their records, the serial number matched the one in our files."

Anderson allegedly broke into a car in Germantown the night of Dec. 30 and stole the iPod and other items, Friz said. After police learned who pawned the iPod on Feb. 18, they acquired a search warrant and went to Anderson's residence. There they found cell phones, GPS units, cameras and laptops in Anderson's room at his mother's house, Friz said.

Anderson, in jail for the stolen iPod, has not yet been charged for having stolen items in his home, Friz said. Detective Robin Hawkins said police are still investigating the Feb. 18 case. According to court records, Anderson has more than 10 theft convictions since 2004. No lawyer was listed in court records for Anderson's latest theft charges.

There is no telephone listing for Anderson's address.

Anderson is expected in court March 22 for thefts he allegedly committed in November and December, according to court records. He is facing a count of theft less than $1,000 and rogue and vagabond in each case, court records show.